Suture containers and handling devices therefor



2,808,927 SUTURE CONTAINERS AND HANDLING DEVICES THEREFOR Filed March29, 1955 Oct. 8, 1957 G. D. UTLEY EIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.10

ilbm v jzwsz'yroRs GEORGE D UTLEY SIIDNEYI Hms sfij' FIG.17

Oct. 8, 1957 GD. UTLEY ETAL 2,808,927

SUTURE CONTAINERS AND HANDLING DEVICES THEREFOR Filed March 29, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS GEORGE D. UTLEY BY SIDNEY HIRSCH ATTORNEY.

SUTURE CGNTAINERS AND HANDLING DEVICES THEREFOR George D. Utley, ForestHills, and Sidney Hirsch, Cedarhurst, N. Y.

Application March 29, 1955, Serial No. 497,701

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-633) This invention relates to suture containers andhandling devices therefor and, more particularly, to a novel suturecontainer in which a suture may be maintained in a sterilized conditionand withdrawn therefrom as needed without danger of glass breakage andwith facility of handling.

Sutures used in surgery are usually of catgut, silk thread, cottonthread or wire. The sutures must be maintained in a thoroughlysterilized and antiseptic condition right up until the time of actualuse. For this purpose, the sterilized suture is stored in a sealedcontainer or holder filled with an antiseptic liquid, or may be storeddry.

At the time of use, the suture is removed from the solution in thecontainer, as by being withdrawn from the container as needed or byremoval of a wound spool or bobbin of suture from the container. Thecontainers are usually of glass, and care must be exercised to preventbreakage of the glass, particularly in the vicinity of a wound. Thepresently used containers present considerable difiiculties with respectto handling the sutures at the time of use in surgery.

The present invention is directed to a suture containing ampule having anovel seal through which the suture may be withdrawn and including ahollow cap arranged to maintain the projecting end of the suture inantisepticsoaked condition or dry, the hollow cap preventing exposure ofthe projecting end of the suture. To facilitate protective handling ofthe container and suture during surgery, particularly when the ampule ismade of glass,

a novel handle is provided having a grip and a projecting stem formedwith a recess to receive the ampule, an open end of this recess beingclosed by the aforementioned hollow cap.

Preferably, the ampule is made of a suitable shatterproof substance suchas a plastic, and may be shaped to form a handle or grip.

The seal is in the form of a plug of compressible material, having aside slit receiving the suture and arranged to have a surgical needlepierced therethrough, inserted through a second slit, or placed betweenthe plug and the inner surface of the ampule. The plug may be rubber ormay be a suitable plastic such as Teflon or neoprene, and is preferablycored or circumferentially ribbed, or both, for greater compressibility.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made tothe following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustratedin the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of a sealed ampuleembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the ampule with the hollow cap removed;

Fig. 3 is an elevation view of the ampule handling device;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the handling device;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a surgical needle placed inthe ampule;

atent Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the needle insertedthrough a second slit in the plug seal;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of another form ofampule embodying the invention;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are sectional views of still other forms of ampulesembodying the invention;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are sectional views of plug seals embodying theinvention;

Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are end elevation views of the plugs of Figs. 11, 12and 13, respectively; and

Fig. 17 is an elevation view, partly in section, of an hermeticallysealed ampule embodying the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, an ampule 10, which may be of glass or plastic,is illustrated as an open ended container containing an antisepticsolution 11 for soaking a suture or ligature 12; The suture or ligatureis sealed in the container by a plug 15 of rubber, plastic or othercompressible material having a side slit 16 through which the suture isWithdrawn leaving a projecting end 14. Be-

yond plug 15, theampule is closed by a hollow cap 17 arranged tomaintain a ligature or suture soaking liquid outwardly of'plug 15 to'soak suture end 14 and maintain it sterile. Cap 17 may be rubber or, asuitableplastie to have a sealing fit with the end of ampule 10.

A handle 20 is provided to facilitate handling of ampule 10 and suture12 without the risk of glass breakage as the suture is Withdrawn for usein surgery. Handle 20 is formed of a suitable substantiallyshatter-proof material, which may be a plastic, and has agrip portion 21shaped to fit the closed fingers and a stem 25 projecting from themidportion of grip 21. Stem 25 has a recess 26 therein to receive ampule10, the outer end of the recess having an opening 27 for passage ofsuture 12.

In use, cap 17 is removed from ampule 10 and the ampule is placed inrecess 26 with plug 15 toward the bottom end of the recess, end 14 ofsuture 12 being passed outwardly through opening 27. Cap 17 is then setin the open end of recess 26, having a tight fit therein; and seats on ashoulder 28 adjacent the outer end of the recess. Thus, handle 20 withampule 10 may be safely and firmly gripped in one hand as suture 12 iswithdrawn through opening 27.

The provision of side slit 16 in plug seal 15 provides for ready passageof the suture through the plug without the awkward operation required tothread a suture through a hole in the plug. Furthermore, the sides ofthe slit close tightly on the suture as the plug is set into ampule 10,maintaining a tight seal. This seal is fully maintained as the suture iswithdrawn through the slit.

A surgical needle 30 may be protectively mounted in ampule 10 either bypiercing the needle through plug 15 (Fig. 5), inserting it between plug15 and the inner surface of ampule 10, or placing the needle through asecond slit 18 in plug 15 as shown in Fig. 6.

While a glass ampule may be safely used with handle 2% it is possible toprovide an ampule which forms its own handle. Thus, in Fig. 7, theampule is formed from two elongated halves 41 and 42, of plastic, top 41having an offset flange 43 fitting over the rim of bottom 44 and sealedthereto. Bottom 42 has a neck 46 in which is set plug 15 and which fitscap 17.

in Fig. 8, the ampule 10 is provided with a cap 50 through which extendsa suture feedout seal 51 secured to the outer end of suture 12. Cap 50thus need not be removed for withdrawl of suture 12. Seal 51 has agripping end 52 which extends beyond ampule 10, so that suture 12 can bewithdrawn by grasping end 52 of seal 51.

The ampule of Fig. 9 resembles that of Fig. 1, but is formed of plasticand shaped to form a grip.

Fig. 10 illustrates a one-piece plastic ampule having a neck 66receiving a flattened seal 67 slit to receive a suture 12. The needle30- may be contained in'cap 68 f tting neck 66.

Theplug seal may take various forms to improve its compressibility andsealing effect. Thus, in Figs. 11 and 14, plug: ISA'is cored as ati7hand 72. In Figs. 12 and 15, plug 153 is formed with ribs 73. Plug 15C ofFigs. 13 and 16. has ribsi l and is cored at 76 and 77.

The ampule 8t! of Fig; 17 is initially in the general shape oif-a testtube having an open end 81 and formed with a score linet82iinwardlyofthe open end. After "placing of suture 12 in the antiseptic liquid 11 inthe ampule, plug 15, having the suture 12 placed in its side slit:16.,isseated in the ampule inwardly of score line 82. Antiseptic liquid may beplaced in the. ampule above plug 15,.andthe open end 81 is. sealed as byheating and deforming the openend to, form a sealed closed outer end ofthe'arnpule. To use the ampule, the sealed outer end is; broken 0d atscore, line 82 and discarded,

Suture 12 may be coiled loosely in the ampule or may be wound on one ormore spools or bobbins therein. The suture. may be maintained either dryor soaked in an antiseptic. liquid.

7 'While specific, embodiments of the'invention have been shownand-described in detailto illustrate the application of; the. inventionprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

An ampule adapted to protectively maintain a surgical suture dry orsoaked in an antiseptic liquid, comprising, in combination, a containerhaving an open end and arranged to receive the suture; and an otherwiseimpertorate plug of compressible material having a containing sealingfit in said container and formed with a side slit receiving the suture;whereby the suture may be withdrawn through said slit without destroyingthe sealing of the container; said container having a score lineoutwardly of said plug and the open end of the container beinghermetically sealed afiterthe suture, liquid and plug are insertedtherein and an antiseptic liquid placed in the container outwardly ofthe plug; the hermetically" sealed end being broken oft at the scoreline to withdraw the suture through the plug.

Reterences. Cit d in. he file of. his patent UNITED, SKATES. PATENTSBarry July 13, 1926

